Offensive Third Period Lifts Bruins Over Jets

(TheCheckingLine.com) - Boston would score just 8 seconds into the third frame, kicking off a 3-goal final period which would see the Bruins hold on to a 5-3 over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.

The Bruins opened the game with sustained pressure in Winnipeg's end, but the defending Stanley Cup Champions were unable to capitalize on some quality chances from the point.

Just 1:42 into the opening frame, Jets' captain Andrew Ladd was caught for holding as he attempted to chip the puck past Johnny Boychuck, tieing up the free arm in the process. Boston did manage to generate some good shots, going back to the point quite often. However, Ondrej Pavelec stood strong and shut the door through the first half of the first period.

After the five minute mark of the 1st, Chris Thorburn burst through the Bruins' defense and found himself all alone on Tuuka Rask. Thorburn was able to get a shot on net, but Dennis Seidenberg got just enough of #22 to give Winnipeg a penalty shot. Thorburn was stopped trying to the puck 7-hole on Rask.

The blown penalty shot seemed to breath life into the Jets as they upped the pressure through the midway point of the first. The GST line (Glass, Slater, Thorburn) put up some big shots on Tuuka Rask, and dominated the offensive play for a few solid shifts. Unfortunately, Tanner Glass would be hit with a high stick near the end of the first and would not return to the game.

Finally, at 16:53 of the first, Zack Bogosian fired a puck on net which was deflected by Andrew ladd and the Jets were finally on the board with the captain's 14th of the year. 1-0 Jets.

Boston responded quickly with perfect control in the Winnipeg zone. On a big shift by the Bruins, Milan Lucic would have a shot deflected by Nathan Horton in what would be his 13th of the season to tie the game up at 1.

Just 31-seconds into the 2nd period , Blake Wheeler would take advantage of yet another shot from the point by Tobias Enstrom , tipping home one past Tuukka Rask to make it 2-1 Winnipeg.

Later in the period, Andrew Ferrence would be sent to the box for hooking Nik Antropov behind the Winnipeg net just over a minute after Andrew Ference was sent away for a 'headshot' penalty on Chris Thorburn. With 28-seconds left, On the ensuing 5-on-3 penalty kill, Boston's Shawn Thornton would come out of the penalty box and break in alone on Ondrej Pavelec. Tim Stapleton would catch up and make a great defensive play, but was called for hooking and Thornton was given the game's 2nd penalty shot of the night. Thornton would fair much better than his #22 counterpart on the Winnipeg roster and tie the game at 2-2.

Winnipeg upped the pressure after being scored on short-handed, and fired plenty of shots on Rask. On what looked like a harmless rush by the Jets, Eric Fehr fired a bullet from the faceoff circle which fooled Tuukka Rask and put the Jets up by 1 yet again, putting home his 1st of the year and making it 3-2 Winnipeg.

Although the Jets would take a 3-2 lead into the 3rd period, it took only 8-seconds into the final frame for the Bruins to break through a lazy Jets' defence to tie the game up at 3.

Just 3-minutes later, continuing Boston pressure on the Jets would result in Tyler Seguin getting a chance in front of Ondrej Pavelec. He would make good on his opportunity to give the Bruins their first lead of the night 4-3.

In what is becoming a bad habit for Winnipeg's captain, Andrew Ladd was called for interference in the offensive zone putting Winnipeg back on the penalty kill and squashing any momentum the Jets were gaining in the Bruins zone.

On the following power-play, the Bruins would make good on the man advantage. Benoit Pouliot would put home a loose puck in the blue paint and just like that, Boston was up by 2 goals, 5-3.

Throughout the rest of the third, Winnipeg managed to get a few pucks on net, but any sustained pressure was answered quickly by Boston. Defensive lapses by the Jets allowed Boston some quality chances , but Ondrej Pavelec played yet another very strong game in goal.

Winnipeg had no answer for Boston's 22 shots (and 3 subsequent goals) in the third, and the Bruins would take the season series lead (2-1) and the game with a final score of 5-3.